Teachers, trainers, and professors with years of experience in classrooms report that ?computer networking encourages the...
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Teachers, trainers, and professors with years of experience in classrooms report that ?computer networking encourages the high-quality interaction and sharing that is at the heart of education. ...(The) characteristics of online classes... generally result in students' contributing material that is much better than something they would say off the top of their heads in a face-to-face class. Shy students who have trouble participating in a classroom discussion are said to feel more comfortable in an online setting. The ability to sit and think as one composes a question or comment also can raise the quality of the discussion. On the other hand, unless the teacher facilitates the networking activities skillfully, serious problems may develop. A conference may turn into a monologue of lecture-type material to which very few responses are made.? The Pedagogy of Online report at http://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/reports_retreats/tid_report.asp#Online%20Pedagogy highlights the following questions to ask about the quality of Online learning: Is learning competence equal or superior to that of a traditional classroom? Are students engaged in the material? Does each student participate in the communication? Is there real depth to the students' responses? Is there interaction between professors and their students, and between the students themselves? Has a "community of learners" been established from which students derive motivation? We find that the attached Discussion Board Rubric works to turn ?no? answers into ?yes? answers. Items where it becomes difficult to answer either yes or no locate a developmental area that can be made a pedagogical focus. Although,
the instructor has an important role in moderating interactions, students can also self-assess by using the attached rubric questions in two ways: to help focus on essential learning of how to handle discussions and to help focus on the evidence that reflects development of scientific discussion skills.Course: BIOL 409 Teaching Evolution: Online Course for Teachers

This activity allows students to explore the principles, promises, and pitfalls of distance education, and articulate methods...
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This activity allows students to explore the principles, promises, and pitfalls of distance education, and articulate methods by which a distance education program can be pedagogically successful.Course: Distance education; Educational technology; Educational administration